PENGASSAN Fires Back at Shettima Over Dangote Dispute

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has responded sharply to remarks made by Vice President Kashim Shettima condemning its industrial action during its dispute with Dangote Refinery.

PENGASSAN told newsmen on Monday that it will take the same measures if its members are dismissed again.

The backlash follows protests in Kaduna accusing PENGASSAN of phantom sabotage against Dangote. Last week, PENGASSAN shut down critical oil and gas facilities, claiming Dangote sacked 800 workers for joining the union. Dangote countered that it only dismissed a few workers who were sabotaging the facility as part of a reorganisation.

The strike by oil and gas workers triggered nationwide disruption in oil output and power generation until the Federal Government intervened. On Wednesday, PENGASSAN suspended the strike after the Dangote Group agreed to redeploy the sacked workers to other business units.

However, despite the resumption of normalcy, the price of cooking gas has not reverted to its pre-strike level of around ₦900 per kg. In Lagos and other parts of the country, it still trades at about ₦2,000.

At the 2025 Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja on Monday, VP Shettima defended the President’s visit to Plateau State and framed Dangote as a national institution deserving respect. He warned that no individual or group, including PENGASSAN, should hold the country hostage over a labour dispute.

“Aliko Dangote is not an individual; he’s an institution, a leading light in Nigeria’s economic parliament” Shettima said. He urged labour and private sector actors to exercise patriotism and avoid actions that threaten national stability. “Nigeria is greater than PENGASSAN. Nigeria is greater than each and every one of us” he added.

PENGASSAN president Festus Osifo rejected Shettima’s stance, saying the union’s duty is to defend its members’ jobs even if challenged by the Presidency or Dangote. “We have a mandate to protect our members’ jobs; we will discharge it whenever the need arises” he told newsmen.

As both sides trade words, minor protests in Kaduna under the banner “National Unity Against Sabotage” accused elements of labour and import cartels of trying to subvert local refining efforts. Protesters demanded government protection for Dangote and accountability for disruptors.

Meanwhile, PENGASSAN reportedly dissolved its NGIC/NGML chapter for failing to effect gas shutdowns during the crisis. The dissolved branch appealed, claiming technical constraints and safety risks prevented proper execution.

Dangote Refinery has expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu and federal officials for the intervention that restored stability. It credited key actors, including the National Security Adviser, DSS, NIA and ministerial teams, for preventing further disruption to the energy sector.